It’s a lot to do but if you can, you will see similarity in how India and Panama are approaching the first-ever senior men’s football match between them here on Friday. Bengaluru: Set aside the difference of 94 places in FIFA rankings and the fact that one of them has played two editions of the World Cup. Rebuilding is the theme for both and it starts in this international window.
Panama’s World Cup campaign ended without a goal or a point but Christiansen, Sandhu and Jamil said results do not always tell the whole story. “It was one of the worst groups,” said the Panama head coach referring to being clubbed with England, Ghana and Croatia. They played really well, said Sandhu and Jamil.
“It’s not possible to make 20 changes at one time. The possibility of giving new players an opportunity was why Christiansen, in charge of Panama since 2020, said he had accepted the invitation to play in India. Along with 14 players from their World Cup roster, Panama have brought a number of young players on this Asian tour which includes a tournament in Japan. Closing in on 100 internationals, Sandhu said this match, and those against Brazil and Uruguay early next month, will matter only “if we make sure we can get something out of them. At 88 matches for India, the No.1 also said, “tomorrow can be a start for us to see what it takes to be a World Cup team. A country of 4.65 million people – everyone knows everyone else, said Emmanuel Lao, a Panamanian Spanish teacher and a Bengaluru resident for over four years – Panama were CONCACAF Nations League runners-up in 2025 and have players in leagues in the USA, Turkiye, Mexico and England. Of the 24 here, Carlos Harvey, who plays for Minnesota United in the USA’s Major League Soccer, reached on Thursday and centre-back Martin Krug, on loan from Levante to a club in the third tier of Spanish football, is due on Friday.
Because their visas didn’t arrive in time, christiansen said he couldn’t bring a centre-back and a centre-forward. You need to have experienced players and young players who can show their worth. You make too many changes and you will not give them the right opportunity. Twenty-two players in Panama’s squad play outside their country.
“You have to do it slowly,” said Thomas Christiansen, the Panama head coach. It was similar to what Christiansen had said while speaking about India’s upcoming games. “It will be an experience to see where you are and where you have to go and the ambition and work needed to get there,” said the former Spain international who also holds Danish nationality. Use these games to attract interest in football, he said. For India, Friday’s match will be similar to how Panama felt when they went to Brazil in May, said Christiansen. That is the key to improving as a national team, said Christiansen. “Preparation has not been ideal, said Christiansen.
“Five of them can debut tomorrow.
